A Story of Blooming
by popcorngoo
Summary: A HitsuxHina fic. "He looked like he could have continued berating her all night if she didn't stop him soon. So she interrupted him with a blush on her face and a soft whisper". The rating may or may not change depending on where the story takes me.


Wow, I never thought that I would put something on here, but here I am! This is sort of scary and exciting at the same time! It's my first time showing ANYONE my writing so I can appreciate a little critique, but please be gentle with me. Tell me how I can improve, but don't say something dumb like,"GRAWR THIS IS THE STUPIDEST FANFIC I'VE EVER READ", or something like that. If it is, then please keep that to yourself. I really don't need to know that. I don't think my self esteem could take it. Also, I haven't read the manga, or even gotten very far in the anime. Yes, I know, I really don't have any right to call myself a Bleach fangirl. So, if I get anything wrong I'm sorry. I'm currently working on the Naruto Shippuden so I don't have time to catch up on my Bleach. Oh yes! And if you see any typos at ALL, please tell me. Those are things that REALLY bug the crap outta me. And trust me, there WILL be typos, so don't feel shy about that. Another thing not to feel shy about is praise. Lol, I feel really conceited saying that, but it makes a big difference in whether a new chapter might come out or not. If no one says that it's good, then I won't feel inclined to continue. That's just a fact. Oh yes! And now it's time for the disclaimer! I've always wanted to do this! teehee!

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DISCLAIMERIN' TIME: I do not, in any way, profit from the story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator.

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Hitsugaya Toushiro couldn't sleep. He had been having nightmares as of late. And they seemed to be increasing. He contemplated them as he walked the grounds of the soul society at night, with no one else around. He could think more clearly when it was quiet and he was alone. It was a beautiful summer night with a cool breeze ruffling his clothes as he walked. He could hear crickets chirping in the distance, and see fireflies buzzing about, shedding their light on all who were hiding in the shadows. Every once in awhile a cloud would open up, and the moon's rays would shine down sending an eerie feeling throughout the grounds.

Going back to the problem at hand, Toushiro went over every torturous detail of his perturbing dreams in order to find out the cause of them was. And if he found that out, then maybe he could fix this problem and get some damn sleep!

In a few of the nightmares, all the people around him are brutally murdered, and he is the only one left, too weak and slow to protect everyone he cares about. He kneels in their blood as their dead, vacant expressions stare back at him. Bodies are everywhere. He can only see glimpses of them, so he doesn't really know who all was killed. Was it Matsumoto? Was it his squad division? The entire Soul Society? He can only choke back a sob and feel such a deep regret that it consumes him wholly. How could he be so weak? So powerless? He can't even protect the people around him.

Another nightmare he had was all about Momo. She left soul society and joined Aizen in his crazy ideas of power and murder. In that dream she never looks back at him as she walks side by side with Aizen, her eyes filled with such devotion. She doesn't even spare a glance, to her life long friend, never acknowledges his presence. Her eyes were always focused on Aizen, and Aizen alone. She doesn't notice him calling for her, doesn't hear his cries for her to come back. He runs after her, but of course he can never catch up even if he sprints and they are only walking. He falls to his knees with exhaustion, as he watches Momo disappear from his line of sight. He is all alone.

The other dream, the one he was most afraid of, was where Momo was murdered...by himself. It's very hazy. All he can remember from it is Momo crying, and looking extremely upset. Her eyes were red, and puffy as her body shook with her racking sobs. She's gripping her zanpakuto fiercely, and screams something at him. It's muffled and he can't make it out. Then, suddenly, she's charging at him with her sword at the ready. He knows that he can deflect it, but for some reason his body moves of it's own accord. Instead of blocking it as he intended, he plunges his blade straight into her chest. Her eyes go wide in shock. Her mouth opens and blood spurts out. She's looking at him with such an expression of hurt and betrayal. He can't stand it. He goes to grab for her, but she falls too fast. Her body hits the ground with a painful sounding thud. He stares down at her in shock, as her blood pools out around her.

The dreams were troubling to say the least. He hasn't been getting any sleep. He usually springs up in bed either crying or screaming. And he can never go back to sleep after that. He feels miserable, and sometimes he worries that these dreams are telling him about the future. Although the one with Aizen has already passed, but does that mean that the others are soon to come as well?

"Shiro-kun?"

He glances up, startled, to hear his name. He had been so immersed in his thoughts he didn't even see where he had been going. Who would be out here this late anyway?

"Shiro-kun!"

Still not seeing anyone he spins in a little circle, trying to locate the owner to the voice. Who would dare call him Shiro-kun anyway! Oh wait...there was only one person that he knew who would be so foolish...

"Up here Shiro-kun!", the mysterious voice said, trying to stifle a laugh.

He looked up to see Momo sitting on the roof of one of the buildings in the soul society, smiling down at him. He should've known right from the beginning who it was calling him. He mentally slapped himself for letting her startle him, and see him in such a state. He really must have been spacing out for that to happen. He jumped up onto the roof, and landed smoothly without making a noise.

"Hey bed-wetter Momo, it's Captain Hitsugaya to you!", he easily hid his inner turmoil about his nightmares, by insulting the very person he wanted to protect most.

"And I thought I told you not to call me that either! It's not very nice!", Momo crossed her arms in front of her chest in indignation, and pouted. It was obvious that she resented the nickname, but he couldn't resist teasing her. It was easy, and simple to make fun of her. Telling her how he felt about her was a different matter entirely.

"What are you doing out here anyway? It's late you know, and you should be resting. Captain Unohana would be worried if she found out that you weren't in bed like you're supposed to be". Momo was still not released from the hospital yet, but apparently she was well enough to walk all this way and somehow get on the roof...

"You too Shiro-kun. It's way past midnight and you should be in bed also, yet here you are." Thinking a bit more Momo tilted her head to one side and asked,"Why _are _you out so late?". 'Ah', he thought,'She caught me. Well, damn, I can't very well tell her that I've been having nightmares, and a good chunk of those nightmares were about her. Because then I'd have to explain that I've been worried about her, and then I'd have to explain WHY I worry about her, which is because I care about her, which is another way of saying that I love her! But I have to say something! Saying ' just because!' just sounds stupid and childish! Oh come one! Get it together Captain Hitsugaya!' He mentally pounded his fists against his head in confusion.

Momo simply stared in confusion at Toushiro as he had a mini melt down inside his own head. 'What could be the matter? He looks so troubled', she thought to her self. 'And he doesn't look well, as if he hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks'. She took stock of his appearance as he inwardly debated what to say to her. He had dark smudges under his weary looking eyes. His white hair was ruffled and tangled, more so than usual, as if he had been running his hands through it, and pulling at it in frustration. His skin was pale, and sweaty. It looked incredibly unhealthy. He also seemed thinner. How could she not have noticed this sooner!

Momo stood up, a bit shakily mind you, and placed her hand on his forehead. Toushiro froze. He stared at her, and realized that she had gotten much closer to him.

"Have you been eating?" Her face was pinched in a worried frown, her brows furrowed with concern.

Not completely understanding of the situation he was in Toushiro could only stare in confusion and shock. How had they gotten to this? She had asked why he was out so late at night, and now she was feeling his face!

"You don't look like you've been sleeping either. Is something wrong Shiro-kun?", her soft voice rose in pitch, sounding very shrill. "You know you can tell me anything". Her eyes pleaded with him to confide in her so she could help him.

'Oh', he thought,'She's worried about me'. He quickly stomped out his feelings for her, coolly brushed her warm hand aside, and gave her a stern look.

"If anyone should be worried about someone's health, it should be me. I'm not the one in the hospital Momo". He stepped away from her so she couldn't touch him again.

"Well maybe you should be. You really don't look so good". She wasn't about to give this up. If Shiro-kun wasn't going to tell her what was wrong, then she was going to tell Captain Unohana that he needs to be checked out.

Toushiro noticed the determined look on her face, and the defensive stance she took. It seemed that she wasn't going to back down. Good for her, but unfortunately he really didn't feel like having a good ole heart to heart at the moment.

"Momo, I'm _fine. _I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a pretty long time now. You, however, need to get back to bed. I'll escort you back to the hospital now".

Momo gave a little cry of frustration,'He is so stubborn! He completely ignores his own health risks, yet he's telling me what to do about my own! Bossy! Stubborn! Stupid!' She stamped her foot angrily, and immediately regretted it. 'Uh oh', she thought. Her leg gave out from underneath her. She really should not have walked all the way out here, and then climbed up to the roof. She _was_ very exhausted. She was falling. Her eyes closed tight as she realized that she was precariously teetering on the edge of the roof. 'oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no'. Just as she felt her body go over the edge a pair of strong arms encircled her and yanked her upwards. She heard a grunt right next to her ear as she was pulled tight against someone's body. They were strong, and muscular. It was completely different from her own body. It was obviously a man from the way his lean form enfolded her. 'Wow', she thought,'He's ripped'.

"Oi! Bed-wetter Momo! What do you think you are doing!"

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked at her 'rescuer'. 'Shiro-kun!', she thought. 'Oh my, you have _grown _Shiro-kun'. She blushed at the thoughts that were rushing in her head. She couldn't believe that HER Shiro-kun had filled out so nicely. His clothes usually hid his figure, making him look small and childish. She obviously had NO idea. Had he even grown taller? Now that they were so close like this, with him supporting most of her weight, she could see that he was the same height as her. His angry voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I _told_ you that you shouldn't have been out here! Look at you! You're exhausted! You almost fell off the roof Momo! You could have made your condition much worse! Captain Unohana would have DEFINITELY been mad at you for reversing all the hard work she's put into you". He looked like he could have continued berating her all night if she didn't stop him soon. So she interrupted him with a blush on her face and a soft whisper of, "Thank you Shiro-kun".

He stopped yelling and looked at her, for the first time noticing how close they were. His arms encircled her tiny waist, coming to rest on her flat stomach. Her back was to him, but she had her face turned to him so she could look him in the eye. They were the same height so they were eye level. She was pressed tightly against his chest. Her face was flushed, and Toushiro couldn't help a small gulp. His heartbeat instantly sped up about a mile a minute. He could feel heat creeping up his neck to flush his own face.

"W-well, you're welcome Momo, but I did tell you that you should have been resting". Meanwhile his mind was going crazy, 'She's so close! What do I do in this situation! I don't know what to say! Kami, she smells so good! Like sunflowers and rain. It's heavenly, and she's so soft. Is she really a shinigami? She feels like a doll, so smooth and nice'.

At the same time Momo was also having similar thoughts about Toushiro,'Oh my, his hands are so large. They completely span the length of my waist! He smells so good too! It's spicy, and sweet, incredibly intoxicating. What do I do! He's staring at me! Should I say something? What am I supposed to say!'

The two shinigami were caught in a magnetic embrace filled with new feelings, and awkwardness. It seemed like they would stay that way forever, each lost in the feel of the other when Momo's exhaustion seemed to get the better of her despite her swirling thoughts of Toushiro.

Her legs started to go numb, and he wasn't really helping what with his being so close and looking absolutely adorable and handsome. All too soon she started to feel faint and couldn't take standing up anymore. "Shiro-kun...", she whispered, suddenly feeling dizzy, and leaning even more heavily against him. He was jerked out of his own thoughts by this, and his concern for her overrode anything else he was previously thinking about.

Grasping her arms more tightly to support her he said,"Come on Momo. Let's get out of here." Hearing no complaints from her he scooped her up into his arms in the most comfortable position he could manage considering they were the same size, and swiftly dashed off to the hospital wing.

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Well, what did you think? Not completely horrid right? I hope not...This took me a helluva long time to come up with, so I don't know when I'll feel like writing some more for another chappie. It just depends on my work load from school, and social life I guess. But please! Don't pray for me not to have a social life! It's already pretty non-existent so there's no need to help that along!


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